***I apologize to my wonderful smackdown partner, April, and all our readers that I pulled a complete bonehead move and didn’t get our post up in time! This week, Tuesday Smackdown is Wednesday! Again sorry for the blunder!

 
Kendal: I’ve been wrestling with a decision for a while and would like to take today’s Smackdown to throw around a few ideas. When the Muse speaks, should we answer? I am a relatively new YA author and have only written one full length so far that hasn’t had its go with agents yet. So I’m wondering if now is the time to try something new, something that I haven’t seen before on the market.
 
Here’s my thinking on the Pro and Con list:
 
Pro to trying something new at the beginning of an unpublished career:
1)      I don’t have the pressure of an agent/editor or time lines looming over me.
2)      I’m not under contract to produce books in a series
3)      Once I’m published and writing is my full-time job, I might not have the financing security to dedicate time to a project that may not get looked at.
4)      What if this new idea is really good? What if it takes off and an agent actually reads it and says “Wow”?
5)      I want to write it.
 
Cons to trying something new at the beginning of an unpublished career:
1)      As much and I’d loooooove to be a full-time writer at this point in my career, I can’t afford it. I have a full-time job and that cuts into my writing time. Do I really want to spend months on an idea that could really flop and not be marketable? Shouldn’t I play it ‘safe’ and try to snag an agent first?
2)      See number #1!!!!
 
On a plus side, if I write it now, shop it around and it’s just not going to sell, it could be offered as a free read to help gain readership. And on the same note, if I shop it around and agents are like “Nope, can’t do” it might be something they remember enough and next time I submit they recall my name …oh, but I see that could go negatively too. If they see a second piece from me they might remember I tried to play outside of the box.
 
April: I’m dealing with the sort of the same quandary – should I focus on hitting the erotic paranormal ebook market or on my contemporaries for print?  Financially I might be in a better place and gain more momentum going for the ebook market.
 
It’s a tough decision. Sometimes doing something outside of the box from the get go gets  you into trouble or it will get you noticed. Of course, now is the time to experiment when no one’s paying attention BUT I think ultimately it comes down to what you want from your career.  If you want to earn a little extra money to help you along, have some nice vacations, pay for some luxuries, taking chances isn’t that big a deal.
 
Personally, I think publishers (unless you go for epubs) want your typical YA or romance but with a new spin, a new voice. They want to take chances on something “safe” with a new twist.
 
If you’re too far outside the box, no one is going to take a chance on you in print.
 
However, if you DECIDE to do something different and completely outside the box, one thing I think is extremely important – Do it wholeheartedly and do it well. Be THE BEST.
 
Kendal: I guess this could be a fun project for Nanowrimo (www.nanowrimo.org), but again it comes down to do I spend my time writing something that may never see the light of day, or do I try to stick with more contemporary stuff that might have a shot?
 
I’d love any advice or suggestions! Have you ever had to devote time to a project you were uncertain about, but had that ‘feeling’?